One Night in Bulembu

---

Got up Friday with plans to interview a chief from Bogani's area and then go to Bulembu again and some of us would stay the night but we didn't know who yet. We got to Bogani's and his dad wasn't there yet. We ended up interviewin his dad and then went to the chief's krawl. It was very ceremonious: we all sat down on the ground and one Swazi guy introduced everybody and talked in Siswati and then Jim talked and there was some discussion and thanks and a prayer and we didn't go any further with the interview. We took some pictures and then went to Bulembu. In Bulembu we had lunch with David, an entrepreneuer who wants to revitalize Bulembu--an old mining town--into a tourist resort spot. He was quite the talker. Lunch at the Bulembu lodge was good though. Then we went to a non-profit called ABC and met Robin and Jerry and their orphaned kids: Colin, Kevin, Jose, Kateeway, Christopher, Andrew, Angel, and others. The kids were amazing. We took pictures, recorded them singing, had them introduce themselves on sound, and played tag. Some of them were really really great. It was tough to hear some of their stories but they are also in a really great place now. We filmed the kids til it got dark (I took stills) and we then went back to Bulembu Lodge. Miles, Deano, and I stayed overnight and everybody else went back to Mbabane. We shot some stills and maps that night for b-roll. I went with David (almost hitting a cow on the way) to the old mine office and went in with a flashlight (the electricity was out in the whole town) and we found some old photos. It felt like we were breaking in. Bulembu Lodge was on a generator and we shot stuff til around 9-10. Went to be after a nice shower. There were only a couple other people at the lodge besides us.

---

Photos

posing with the swazi chief
posing with the Swazi chief

me and the ABC kids in Bulembu
all of these kids have been affected by HIV/AIDS in some way, mostly being orphaned because of the deaths or their parents

Angel
this is Ingolisi, one of the ABC kids. she was incredibly sweet. all of the kids speak English, so interacting with them was especially meaningful.